The Mirror
by Emma CS Me
Summary: DenNor, kink meme de-anon. "Norway is selfish and he is perfectly aware of it. He needs Denmark to love him, but he can't love Denmark back at all." Short and angsty.


**Author's Notes:** Another one from the kink meme: "Denmark on a angsty rant of angstyness. Bonus is Norway getting him to stop with a kiss resulting in a cute ending." However, this turned into a more mutual angst fest. With a bunch of Hans Christian Andersen references, for which I blame the weather (long story). I'm not quite sure about Denmark's characterisation here... :/

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><p><strong>The Mirror<strong>

"W-what if you tell him – no, shut up, he's never gonna listen to you–"

"Den. What are you on about now?" Norway slinks into the bathroom, watching as Denmark rants at the mirror. The other man doesn't notice.

"Why are you even bothering?" Denmark sighs, hanging his head. Norway comes up behind him. "He doesn't... You should just move on; this is..."

"Denmark." He puts a hand on Denmark's shoulder, pauses, then takes it back. "What is this?"

Denmark starts to laugh. "God, I don't even know what I did." He's looking at the mirror again, and he raises his hand to it. "Maybe there are shards in his heart – no, no fairytales. What did he say?"

Norway cringes. He remembers when they were young and cold and together. It was Christmas Eve. Denmark struck a match to keep them warm, told him to look at the flame, and in it he'd see a feast laid out for them, for both of them.

The wind blew out the flame in thirty seconds, and Norway told him all he saw was a fire – and a puny one from a damp match at that.

Denmark is still laughing, and Norway feels like praying Den won't cry. Denmark always has been the emotional sort. "He – he's not worth it. He _hates_ me..."

"I don't hate you," Norway says aloud, but it won't help. Now Norway feels like praying _he_ won't cry. "I mean – argh, I am not meant to care this much!"

Denmark, of course, doesn't hear him. "C-c'mon, man," he tries to tell himself, smiling weakly. "Whaddaya even see in him anyway?"

"I have no idea," says Norway. Really, with how he acts – how cruel and silent, and _unfair_ – Denmark should be the one to hate him. It would make things a lot easier.

(He hates the pain in his heart that thought brings.)

"Right. From now on. Over him." Denmark grins as wide as he can, and Norway starts thinking about the story with the mirror as well – it only reflects what is hateful and hurts.

"Den, please–"

_I need you to love me._

Norway's own mind lashes out at him for that thought. _No you don't; that's why we're here! You don't need him. You don't need people_, but Norway is much better at lying to others than himself. He wishes he didn't need Denmark. He brings himself here out of masochism more than anything. He watches Denmark suffer, and he suffers with him.

And Denmark never knows.

"...Fuck." And now Denmark is crying, and Norway should really go before he does something he'll regret, but since when does he use common sense in regards to all this? Someone using common sense would admit to loving Denmark, as Denmark loves him, and shockingly they may actually become happy.

That is far out of Norway's area of expertise.

"This isn't fair. You hear me, Norge? It's not fucking _fair_!"

He's trying to scream, but he's whispering too, just in case Norway actually hears him – after all, even if Norway hates him, best keep that to as little hate as possible. Norway has to chuckle slightly.

"Just not fair..." Denmark whispers, and Norway just stares.

Of course it's not fair. Norway is selfish and he is perfectly aware of it. He needs Denmark to love him, but he can't love Denmark back at all. He has to go on, alone, disconnected; for if he decides he needs someone he may as well say he belongs to that someone, and he will not be a slave. He is a proud, irrational man. Perhaps it's because, no matter how much he loves him, he doesn't _trust_ Denmark – Denmark is foolish, and could hurt them both without thinking. And Norway is not the kind to go down with a sinking ship.

"Denmark...?" He's stopped talking and just cries, and Norway gives into instinct. He wraps his arms around the man, holds him close, kisses him on the neck to comfort him.

Denmark sobs. "Stop it, moron. He's not here. If he was, he wouldn't..."

Norway's not here. His spell will keep him silent and invisible, and Denmark shouldn't even be able to feel his touch. Denmark is crying, all by himself in a bathroom; because he is in love with Norway, and Norway does not love him back.


End file.
